1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of exercise equipment in which a movable carriage is utilized to at least partially support a user's body, commonly referred to as a “reformer”, and more particularly to a reformer having an adjustable spring anchor bar and carriage stop assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Joseph H. Pilates, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,621,477, originally developed the concept of using a wheeled platform carriage connected to a resistance device such as a set of weights in conjunction with a stationary frame to provide a variable resistance against which a user could push with his/her feet or pull with the arms while in a sitting or recumbent position in order to exercise the major muscle groups of the user's trunk, legs and/or arms. Since that time many changes and improvements in the design of such an apparatus were developed by Joseph Pilates, and more recently, have been evolved by his students and others. U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,005 and my patents referred to above are representative of the current state of evolutionary development of these changes that have taken place since 1927.
The current conventional apparatus is commonly referred to as a “reformer” which includes a wheeled platform carriage which rides on a parallel rails on or forming part of a rectangular wooden or metal frame. The carriage is connected to a series of parallel springs or elastic members which are in turn connected to a foot end of the rectangular frame. The carriage rides on the rails or on tracks mounted to the inside of the longer sides of the rectangular frame. This carriage typically includes a pair of spaced, padded, upright shoulder stops and a head rest at one end to support the shoulders and head of the user when he/she is reclined on the carriage. An adjustable foot bar, foot support, or foot rest against which the user places his/her feet is removably mounted to the foot end of the rectangular frame. A spring support rod is positioned across the foot end between the tracks by a spring support bracket fastened to the frame. The rod typically fits in one of three or four recesses or slots in the support bracket, depending on the size or ability of the user. Alternatively, the spring support rod may be permanently fastened to the frame. The user can then push against the foot rest to move the carriage along the track away from the foot rest against spring tension to exercise the leg and foot muscle groups in accordance with prescribed movement routines. Ropes connected to the head end of the carriage via pulleys at the head end of the frame are used to exercise the user's arm and torso muscle groups.
The carriage is prevented from moving close to the foot rest by a stop pin fastened to the top of each track, against which the carriage abuts when the carriage is at rest. Alternatively, the stop pin function may be performed by a spring anchor bar and carriage stop member such as is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,120,425 and 6,338,704.
Many conventional reformer designs utilize a tubular anchor bar that slips into slanted slots in a bracket fastened to the rails at the foot end of the frame. The slots permit a user to adjust the longitudinal position of the anchor along the rails. This anchor bar is typically round in cross section. Thus, when a user decides to change the number of springs attached to the anchor bar, he or she must be careful not to remove all of the springs from the anchor bar at the same time, because without some spring tension on at least one hook, the anchor bar will simply rotate downward, positioning the hooks toward the floor. Then the user must use one hand to rotate the bar so that the hooks face the carriage, and use her other hand to fasten a spring onto one of the hooks. Another drawback with the conventional round bar and slotted bracket spring anchor design is that the brackets are separate components which must typically be installed at the foot end of the frame over the rails.